Section 104(b)(1) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 requires the CPSC to promulgate safety rules for durable infant or toddler products. Implementing that Congressional instruction, CPSC published in the Federal Register (77 FR 12182) a final rule that codifies the regulation for children's portable bed rails at 16 C.F.R. part 1224 and incorporates by reference ASTM F2085, with any modifications by CPSC. 16 C.F.R. § 1224.2 identifies the latest Commission-accepted version of ASTM F2085 that is mandatory as well as any modifications. See the “Previous Versions of the Standard” section below for effective dates.
A portable bed rail is a device intended to be installed on an adult bed to prevent children from falling out. Portable bed rails are intended for children who can get in and out of bed unassisted (typically from 2 to 5 years of age). They include bed rail designs that have a vertical plane that presses against the side of the mattress but does not extend over it (adjacent type bed rails) as well as bed rails that sit near the edge of the sleeping surface of the mattress (mattress-top bed rails).
There are also products that differ from traditional, rigid portable bed rails because they are constructed of nonrigid materials, such as foam or inflatable materials. Although these foam and inflatable products do not use the term “bed rails” in their packaging or labeling, the products meet the definition of a “portable bed rail” and are included in the scope of the standard.
Note that the CPSC enforces different regulation for adult portable bed rails.
The requirements for children's portable bed rails are as follows:
- General requirements
- Sharp points and edges – see also 16 C.F.R. §§ 1500.3(b)(4)(i)(D) and 1500.3(b)(15)(i)(A)
- Small parts – see also our small parts business guidance page
- Wood parts
- Surface coatings – see also our lead in paint business guidance page
- Labeling
- Captive installation components
- Captive hardware
- Performance requirements
- Structural integrity
- Openings
- Enclosed openings
- Openings created by bed rail displacement of adjacent style portable bed rails
- Openings created by displacement of mattress-top portable bed rails
- Openings created by displacement of portable bed rails intended for use on specific manufacturers’ beds
- Protrusions
- Openings between bedposts (headboard, footboards, etc.) and ends of portable bed rails
- Misassembled products
Read-only copies of ASTM standards that are incorporated by reference can be viewed at ASTM’s electronic Reading Room.
Labeling
Per 16 C.F.R. § 1130.4, the following information must be permanently affixed to durable infant or toddler products in English:
- Name of manufacturer or importer
- Contact information (must include US address and phone number, toll-free if available)
- Model name/number
- Product identification number may be used as an identifying feature instead
- Date of manufacture
- Date must be at least month and year, and it can be stated in code form
This labeling requirement is in addition to the tracking label requirement for children’s products. This page summarizes the labeling requirements for durable infant or toddler products.
Registration Form
Product registration forms are required for all durable infant and toddler products to enable the manufacturer or retailer of the product to contact consumers with recall or other safety information. For more information, visit our registration forms business guidance page.
Previous Versions of the Standard
15 U.S.C. § 2056a(b)(4)(B) requires the CPSC to evaluate any updates to an incorporated ASTM standard for durable infant or toddler products to determine whether the revised standard improves the safety of the product. Firms must ensure that the product is tested to the Commission-accepted version of ASTM F2085 depending on its date of manufacture or import:
| Manufactured or imported on or after... | Must meet... |
|---|---|
| May 20, 2020 | ASTM F2085-19 |
| August 29, 2012 | ASTM F2085-12 |
Certification
Section 14(a) of the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) requires manufacturers and importers of children’s products subject to a regulation, standard, or ban enforced by the CPSC to certify that those products meet the requirements of the standard by issuing a Children’s Product Certificate (CPC). For children's portable bed rails, the citation to use in section 2 of the CPC is “16 CFR part 1224 – Children's portable bed rails”.
For more information on certification, visit our CPC business guidance page.
Additional Information
- Children's portable bed rails FAQs
- Durable infant or toddler product business guidance page
- Registration forms business guidance page
Contact
- SBO contact form
- Toll-free: (888) 531-9070
- Email: SBO@cpsc.gov